approaching 40, married, two kids and a busy job. even i think i'm trite.

8.12.2008

The Switcheroo

My two little baby bears started at a new day care yesterday. The move was in preparation for the newest 4 year old starting kindergarten there in a mere two weeks. It's very exciting that she'll get to start. I never realized how stringent most schools were about their age requirements.

Despite that, changing day cares is rough. Mostly on me. We've only ever gone to one day care. That's over 4 years at the same place. My husband liked to call our daughter the mayor of the place because she'd been there so long she knew everyone. It was like being on parade with that kid walking down the hall saying hello to everyone. Her teacher even told me that whenever there was a new teacher helping out she'd tell the new teacher to ask my kid if she wasn't sure where something was. Can't say that I blame her seeing as how I tell people the same thing when they come to our house to babysit.

The 4 year old did great with the switch. She's excited about starting school and knows the switch is in preparation for that. She also finds new things fun and exciting. For example, her new room contained new toys and new people to pepper with questions. Game on. She was all, see ya. My son, on the other hand, is 2 and found the whole thing confusing. There were tears and his transition will take more time. Much like my own.

I know plenty of people that have switched their kid's day care plenty of times. I'm sure I'm just being a baby about it. I'm a baby about a lot of things. And I'm sure I'll feel more at home and confident with the new place in no time. It just takes time. And that annoys me.

Speaking of things that annoy me, it also annoys me that they let my kids watch television at the new day care. Not all day or anything. There's just some Dora watching during my son's diaper changing time and the 4 year old watched something about a cat. But I'm just one of those annoying hags that doesn't think I should pay someone to babysit my kid with a television. Because turning the television on is so easy. I think I should get a price discount if you're not going to expend more energy than that.

I think my husband thinks I'm just the annoying hag that likes to be difficult and that it's summer and once school starts the 4 year old will be in class and oh, well if the 2 year old watches a few minutes. Although the 2 year old is starting a preschool curriculum in 2 weeks, too. But whatever. Just wait until we have our first parent teacher conference. You think I'm a hag complaining on my blog, try having to sit down and chat with me. Although I'm always very nice about it. So nice you won't even be sure what just happened when we're done.

So anyway, new day care. It's okay. We'll see. I'm difficult. The end.

5 comments:

I had my daughter (only child at the time) at a new daycare close to our house (switched her there, rather than one closer to work). Picked her up all day and there they were, 14 months old, sitting in the dark in a semi-circle around the television. I nearly freaked out. I agree; they should NOT watch TV at daycare!!! (Same daughter is now 9 and still does not like to watch TV -- she has ADD -- its more that she doesn't like sitting still long enough to watch TV.) ANYWAY, I calmly and professionally called the daycare director the next day and inquired how often and under what circumstances do the children watch tv? She couldn't really give me an answer. So I gave her examples of what I was thinking she might say. Like: only when the teacher went home sick and the assistant teacher was on duty. Or, only when the video relates to the upcoming holiday. But she couldn't tell me. And then turned the questions to me, asking if I had a problem with children watching tv and why! Needless to say, I was not happy. It was the last straw with that particular daycare so I pulled my daughter out at the end of the week and put her into an in-home daycare. Where, coincidentally, tv was allowed. But at the in-home, there were specific times for tv and children were not forced to sit in the dark and watch tv if they'd rather be running around playing. The whole daycare thing is a pain, tv or not. Good luck, look forward to the blog posting about parent conferences!

I have never had to under go the daycare switcheroo, but I have to switch btw my parents and my in-laws multiple times a week. It is horrible! May have something to do with the fact that all my il-laws do is turn on the TV for my daughter all day long!

Yep, I agree. The only one allowed to babysit my kids with television is me. :)

And, if it makes you feel better, my older daughter was only ever at one daycare until she was four (with one teacher, even). And when graduated from there I cried and cried, certain that no one could ever love her like they did.

Thank GOODNESS! I thought I was the only person out there who gave teachers grief about the television thing. You aren't paying money for your children to be "babysat" by the television. Stand your ground sister!!